


unforeseen.

by sncwbaz



Category: Carry On - Rainbow Rowell
Genre: Alternate Universe - Hogwarts, Carry On Countdown, Carry On Countdown (Simon Snow), Fluff, Hogwarts AU, M/M, SnowBaz, but you can definitely spot crushes hehe, coc 2017, hufflepuff!snowbaz, it's cute i promise, it's so soft, no relationship/ romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-03
Updated: 2017-12-03
Packaged: 2019-02-10 01:16:56
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,614
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12900861
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sncwbaz/pseuds/sncwbaz
Summary: in this hogwarts au simon and baz start their first year at hogwarts, and their sorting is quite unexpected considering the families they come from, which leads to an unexpected friendship.





	unforeseen.

**Author's Note:**

> I wrote this for the Carry On Countdown day 8. I hope you'll enjoy!
> 
> You can find me on tumblr as well. (I'm @sncwbaz on tumblr. Same as here.)
> 
> Credit for the characters Simon and Baz go to Rainbow Rowell and credit for the world/setting of to J.K Rowling.

Simon watched how the crowd of first years around him thinned out as they were called upon for their sorting one by one. Since the sorting was in alphabetical order, he knew he would be one of the latter to be called forward.

He didn’t know if he was grateful or ungrateful for this. A part of him was afraid of the outcome of the sorting, which gave him the strong feeling that he would do everything to put more time between now and the moment the sorting hat would be placed on top of his head.

Simon Snow was of a family of proud Gryffindors; his father proudest of all. His father had expressed all too well how much it would have meant to Simon’s mother if she’d been able to see Simon become a true part of this Gryffindor family by becoming a Gryffindor himself.

However, Simon wasn’t so sure about it all. What if he got sorted into another house? Would the ghost of his mother be disappointed? What if he belonged in another house? What would his father have to say then? The thought of himself being sorted into anything but Gryffindor made him feel nauseous, but the thought of actually becoming a Gryffindor didn’t do much better for his stomach, if he was being honest.

On the other hand, though, he just wanted to get it over with. The sorting was inevitable; he wouldn’t be able to enter his first year at Hogwarts without being sorted into a house.

Simon’s attention was drawn back to the sorting when he heard the name “Basilton Pitch”. 

Pitch. He knew that name, though he only knew it through the mouth of his father; spoken with angered tension in his voice.

The Pitches were a rich, well known, pure blood wizard family with a big political following. To Simon’s father they were mainly a threat. From what Simon had heard, the Pitch family consisted only of Slytherins, and not just Slytherins, but the most cunning and shrewd of all.

Simon felt tense as he watched the Pitch boy getting ready to be sorted into his house, which would undoubtedly be Slytherin. However, Simon didn’t think the boy looked shrewd nor cunning. He looked... interesting.

The sorting hat was placed on top of his head, pressing down on his thick black hair. The sorting hat was murmuring all sorts of things, but it wasn’t nearly loud enough for Simon to understand what the sorting hat was saying.

The face of the Pitch boy was unreadable. Simon had thought Basilton would be sorted into Slytherin as soon as the hat would have touched the top of his head, but the sorting hat was still mumbling, seeming unable to make a decision.

Simon realised that the whole great hall was now paying attention to the sorting of the Pitch boy, having momentarily stopped the quiet conversations that had formed throughout the previous sortings.

After a moment the sorting hat finally came to a decision.

“Hufflepuff!”

Simon couldn’t help his eyes from growing wide. According to the murmuring amongst the other students Simon wasn’t the only one who was surprised. Yet the expression of the Pitch boy stayed unreadable as he stood up and made his way to the Hufflepuff table.

Simon felt an uncomfortable curl in his gut. If the Pitch boy—son of a pure blood Slytherin family—had ended up in Hufflepuff, it meant that Simon couldn’t rely on his parents heritage at all to be sorted into Gryffindor.

Simon clenched and unclenched his first, trying to release the tension that was building up inside him. He felt like puking.

He looked over at the Hufflepuff table where the Basilton Pitch was quietly ignoring the stares he was getting from people scattered around the great hall. Simon wondered if Basilton’s indifference was an act or if he really didn’t care. How could a son of a well known Slytherin family be indifferent about being sorted into Hufflepuff?

A few more first years got sorted before Simon’s name was called out through the great hall. He felt himself trembling as he walked towards the sorting hat.

Carefully, he sat down and waited for the hat to be placed upon his head. Once he felt the weight of the hat on his head, he balled his hands into tight fists.

“Ah, Simon Snow, son of David Snow and Lucy Salisbury. Both Gryffindors. Hmm, yes,” the sorting hat murmured.

“But do you value the same values as a Gryffindor, or do you value what your father expects from you?”

Simon felt his heart hammering in his chest.

“You are a brave boy, but...” the sorting hat trailed off, Simon wished he would just get on with it.

“I see a boy with a great value for kindness and loyalty. No passion for glory at all, hmmm.”

Simon dared a look at Basilton Pitch, who was sitting at the Hufflepuff table. To his surprise the boy was looking back at him. How had Basilton looked so calm when he’d sat here in Simon’s place.

Simon flinched once the sorting hat finally called out his house after a dragged out silence.

“Hufflepuff!”

Simon got up from the chair as soon as the hat was removed from his head. He didn’t know what to feel as he walked over to the Hufflepuff table. Part of him felt horrible; thinking of what his father would say once word got to him that his son had landed himself into Hufflepuff, another part felt relieved though—settled even.

He heard people around the great hall murmur all kinds of things. “That’s the second unexpected sorting into Hufflepuff of this evening.” 

As he walked past the Slytherin table, he heard a girl snicker, “What is it with all the sons of powerful wizards being sorted into Hufflepuff? Did they all let their sons get soft or something?”

Simon felt himself blush and felt glad when he finally reached the Hufflepuff table. They all greeted him cheerfully. The only one who didn’t look cheerful was Basilton Pitch, who was still staring out in front of him with an indifferent expression on his face. 

Still, Simon decided he wanted to sit down next to the Pitch boy instead of the other, more cheerful looking Hufflepuffs, so that is what he did.

“Hi,” Simon greeted him softly.

Basilton acknowledged him with a simple nod without looking at him. 

They stayed quiet for the rest of the sorting. Though as soon as the sorting was over and they could start their dinner, conversation erupted at the Hufflepuff table. Of course, everyone’s first priority was the food, but many of the Hufflepuffs also turned towards Simon and Basilton with questioning looks.

A boy sitting close to them decided to start up a conversation with them. The boy looked a good few years older than them and was probably in his sixth or seventh year at Hogwarts.

“Well, both of you are a kind off unexpected additions to our house,” the boy said, “welcome none the less, though. My name is Jaime and I’m head of house.”

Basilton once again only nodded and Simon decided to follow his lead. It’s probably not like Jaime didn’t already know his name anyways.

“So, what are your thoughts actually, on being sorted into Hufflepuff?” A girl from across the table asked.

“I’m fine with it, I don’t know what my father will think of it, but personally I feel like it fits” Simon said earnestly. He was okay with Hufflepuff. He felt more at peace with himself being in Hufflepuff house than in Gryffindor, if it weren’t for his fathers judgement.

“Your father is really against Hufflepuff then?” the girl said sourly.

“No! Not really that,” Simon replied hastily. “He just takes a lot of pride in our family being only Gryffindors, it’s what he expected from me as well, of course.” 

The girl hummed with a tone of disapproval in her voice. “Well you’re Hufflepuff, so he’ll just have to accept that.”

“Yeah,” Simon said in an unconvinced voice; knowing that his father probably wasn’t going to ‘just accept’ it, but he didn’t feel like talking about it at all.

Next to him, Basilton had stayed silent and the Hufflepuff girl who had spoken to Simon was now looking at him with a calculating expression. She was probably wondering if she could get any answers to the questions she’d just asked Simon from him as well, but Basilton didn’t look like he was welcoming a conversation.

Simon spent the rest of the dinner enjoying the wonderful food and contemplating if he’d could start a conversation with Basilton.

After dinner had ended they were lead to the Hufflepuff common room. He smiled at himself as he took the common room in. It looked cosy and it instantly made him feel at home.

Simon had practically plastered himself to Basilton’s side. He didn’t really feel like communicating with any of the other Hufflepuffs, having a feeling that they would only keep asking about his unusual sorting and his father’s disapproval.

When they got to the boys dormitory, Simon got himself the bed closest to Basilton’s. They were unpacking their trunks when Basilton finally spoke. “You’re following me around.”

It wasn’t stated like a question, but Simon still felt like he was supposed to answer. “Uh, I guess, yes.”

Basilton looked at him for a moment. “Why?” he asked.

Simon shrugged, “Figured you wouldn’t keep asking about what my father would say of me being a Hufflepuff, I guess. You’re quiet.”

Basilton stared at him and then gave Simon a quiet nod again.

“What if I would ask you?”

“I’d ask you the same question in return,” Simon said.

Basilton snorted at that, which gave Simon an incredible feeling of triumph.

They went back to unpacking their stuff in silence for a moment, before Simon felt the need to continue their conversation.

“Basilton? If you don’t want me to follow you around, then just tell me, okay?” Simon said, trying to sound tentative.

“No, I think I’m okay with it. I think I’d rather be friends with you than with any of the others,” Baz said in a soft voice.

“Okay,” Simon was beaming. He’d really like to be friends with Basilton.

“Oh, and I’d rather you call me Baz instead of Basilton,” Baz told Simon and Simon could spot a small smile playing on Baz’s features.

Simon giggled. “Yeah, I like Baz better, too.”

That night both boys went to bed feeling content.

——

The following day the two unusual Hufflepuff boys had been inseparable.

They sat together during breakfast; they talked is low, quiet voices as they ignored the stares they were getting from people scattered around the great hall.

Later they endured their first few classes at Hogwarts together. It took Simon only a short moment to figure out that Baz was the most talented wizard he’d seen of his own age.

They had shared their Charms class with the Slytherins, who’d been making snide comments towards Baz about being a disappointment to his family.

“It’s not like I don’t already know,” Baz had muttered under his breath, which had given Simon the urge to put an arm around Baz, though he’d held back from this urge.

However, the comments from the Slytherins had stopped as soon as Baz had gotten a chance to show his incredible talents in charms.

After that they had enjoyed an excellent class of Care of Magical Creatures, which they had both decided was their favourite.

That evening at dinner their conversation had been less quiet than their conversations during breakfast.

They were on the topic of discussing their past pets when other Hufflepuffs decided to join in on their conversation as well. Simon was happy to see that the other Hufflepuffs were now having a casual conversation with them without bringing up the whole deal about their unexpected sorting. However, he could notice that Baz was growing quieter and quieter next to him. Without a thought or proper reasoning Simon shuffled a bit closer to Baz.

When they arrived at the boys dormitory in the Hufflepuff common room Simon turned to Baz, "You got very quiet once the others joined the conversation,” Simon stated.

Baz gave one of his quiet nods again and for a long moment Simon thought that was all the reply he was going to get.

However, after a minute or so Baz spoke, “I like it better when it’s just us.”

Simon looked up at Baz with a smile on his face, though Baz wasn’t looking back at him.

“Is that okay?” Baz asked.

“Yeah, it is,” Simon reassured him.

——

Within the first day Simon had spent at Hogwarts, Simon had managed to make himself feel so at home with his new friend that he had almost forgotten about his actual home… with his father.

This until an owl swooped into the great hall with a letter for him during breakfast.

As the letter landed on Simon’s empty plate, he felt his heart sink. He looked over at Baz, who was sitting next to him. Baz cocked an eyebrow at him.

“I think it’s from my dad,” Simon told him softly. He didn’t want to draw the attention from the others sitting at the Hufflepuff table, but the few people sitting closest to him were already staring at him.

“Are you going to open it? You don’t have to, you know.” Baz said.

Simon considered this. Baz was right. He could just leave the envelope closed and forget all about his father and his fathers stupid expectations of him. Simon grinned at this thought.

“Maybe I’ll open it another day,” Simon told Baz.

Baz grinned back at him. “Sounds good.”

Simon pocketed the letter and continued his breakfast.  
“My parents haven’t sent any word,” Baz said quite suddenly.

“Are they—Do you really think they’re disappointed in you?” Simon asked hesitantly. The two of them hadn’t really talked about this yet.

“I don’t think they’re happy about it,” Baz said with a grim expression on his face. “Though I don’t think it came as a surprise. I wasn’t surprised when I was sorted into Hufflepuff, at least.”

Simon didn’t really know what to say in reply, so he just nodded.

“I think they’d rather just keep it quiet, though, which for some reason makes me feel worse about it. Not that I feel bad about being a Hufflepuff—not at all, I am a Hufflepuff. It’s just… I wish my parents would just be okay with that and when they keep all quiet about it I don’t even get the chance to defend myself.”

Simon noticed that others at the table were listening in on their conversation and felt a rush of anger towards them. This seemed like something private for Baz. He moved closer to Baz, as if wanting to shield him, and pressed his thigh against Baz’s under the table.

“My aunt Fiona, though,” he said and his grim expression got replaced by a grin. “She’s never going to live this down.”

“No?” Simon said in lack of better things to say to Baz.

“Nope, but that’s okay.” Baz had a fond smile on his face and Simon figured that the relationship between Baz and his aunt was a lot better than the one between Baz and his parents.

Simon smiled as well. “Well, no matter what our families might think of it, we’re both in Hufflepuff and I’m really happy to be in Hufflepuff with you.”

Baz looked up at him. “I’m glad to be in Hufflepuff with you, too”


End file.
